Sound signal



Oct. 22, 1935. R. M. CRITCHFIELD 2 9 SOUND SIGNAL Filed Feb. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3o 3 22 r 32 3 3/ a0 3 a, I m 78 4e 52 85 56 iiii 48 47 g 9 a1 25 3e 5/ 77 HH e2 24 Faber? M Crz'Zc/rf'ield Oct. 22, 1935. R M CRITCHHEQ 2,018,491

SOUND SIGNAL Filed Feb. 23, 1935 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR Faber? M C'riicbfield Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUND SIGNAL ware Application February 23, 1933, Serial No. 658,034

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sound signals and more particularly to mounting means for such devices.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a sound signal with a resilient mounting means which substantially prevents vibrations of the sound signal from being transmitted to the member supporting it, or vibrations or shocks of the supporting member being transmitted to the sound signal.

Another objectof the invention is to improve the appearance of an outside mounted signal device.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a motor wehicle illustrating a plurality of sound signals fied form of a supporting post.

Figs. 6 and '7 are sectional views taken on the lines 6-6 and 1-1 of Figs. 5 and 6 respectively.

Fig. 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a sound signal and another modified form of a supporting member.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken on lines 9-9 and Ill-l0 of Figs. 8 and 9 respectively.

'With particular references to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of a motor vehicle showing the usual fenders 21 supporting posts or brackets 22, employed on many makes of automobiles. The upper end of the posts 22 being provided with securing means (not shown) for supporting the head lamps 23 in proper position. Preferably the posts 22 are hollow, as shown in Fig. 2, to provide an enclosure for a portion of lead wires, one of which is shown at '24, having one end connected to a terminal (not shown) of the signal device and the other end connected with a source of current. Each post 22 is provided with a transverse aperture 25 'the'collar 3|.

through which a projector or trumpet 26 of a sound signal 27 protrudes and is attached to a collar 3|.

The sound signal 21 comprises a mounting plate 30 to which is secured the collar 3| by screw devices 32 to rigidly secure a diaphragm 33 at its peripheral edge 34. The central portion of the mounting plate 30 is apertured, the metal being punched out of the bottom and bent up to provide a bracket 35 having a portion 36.

Upon the portion 36 there is secured at one end a blade spring 31, which extends toward the center of the base and parallel with the mounting plate 30, and the circuit controller mechanism of the motor unit is insulatingly mounted upon this bracket 37 in substantial parallel relation with the blade spring 31.

The circuit controller mechanism comprises a leaf spring 38 provided with a movable contact 39 which cooperates with an adjustable contact 40 carried by a rigid bracket 4| in substantial alignment with the movable contact 39. These contact supporting elements-are. secured to the bracket 35 by screws 42. The end of the leaf spring 38 is disposed in the path of an insulating washer adjacent to an actuating nut 43. Both the insulating washer and nut are carried by an armature rod 44 reciprocable through a central aperture 45 of a field frame 46.

Reciprocable movement of the armature rod 44 is accomplished by securing one end of the rod 44 to the free end of the blade 31 and the other end extending through the diaphragm 33 and spacing washers 41 and 48. The washers 41 and 48 and the diaphragm 33 are clamped against a shoulder 49 of the rod by a nut 50 threadedly engaging the rod. The rod 44 terminates within the sound chamber defined by On the threaded extension of the rod there is mounted a piston disc 5| which is secured in place by a nut 52.

An armature is carried by the rod 44 adjacent the free end of the spring 31, the armature being maintained in normal position by the tension of the spring 31 and diaphragm 33. The armature is actuated by an electro-magnet device comprising the field frame 43 which is adjustably supported in any suitable manner on the mounting plate 30. The field frame comprises a. plurality of E-shaped magnetic plates riveted together to form, parallel grooves 62 and 63 into which a field winding 64 is adapted to be placed.

In operation of this sound signal energization of the field frame or electro-magnet unit attracts the armature 60 against the effect of the spring 31 and diaphragm 33. The armature is thereby moved toward the field frame 46 and flexes the diaphragm toward the trumpet 26 and carries the disc with it. This movement of the armature will cause the contact carrying member 38 to be flexed, and in doing so the nut 43 will move the contact 39 away from the contact 40. whereupon the field coil will be ale-energized and permit the spring. 31 and diaphragm 33 to return tonormal position again closing the contacts 39 and 40 which reconditions the parts for the cycle movement stated above.

The motor mechanism is protected by a cupshaped cover having its peripheral edge fitting about an annual recess provided by the collar 3|. The cover is retained in position upon the collar 3| by a screw threaded into a channeled yoke. The yoke is secured at each end (not shown) by several of the screw devices 32 to the mounting plate 3!.

In the illustrated embodiment of the'sound signal device, the trumpet or projector 26 is secured to a collar 10 provided with a threaded portion ll cooperating with a threaded central aperture of the collar 3! so as to hold the trumpet in the desired position upon the collar. The collar 3! is provided with a reduced threaded portion 15 and a key 16 to form a shoulder 11. The reduced portion receives spring blades or laminations 18 having aligned apertures and re-- 7 cesses or notches corresponding to the contour of the threaded and key portions on the reduced portion ll of the collar 3i. The'key 16 operates to prevent the sound signal from turning relative to the laminations 78. The laminations are secured to the collar'3l by a clamping nut 19 of desired form and threaded upon the threaded portion 15 and run up against the laminations so as to hold the laminations firmly against the shoulder H in the proper position upon the col- For the purpose of resiliently supporting the sound signal so as to permit full sound producing vibrations of the sound signal, yet substantially preventing such vibrations from being transmitted from the sound signal to its supporting device, or any vibrations of the supporting device from being transmitted to the sound signal, materially to sheet the etdcient operation of the sound signal, the lamination ends are attached to the post '22 substantially at right angles to the axis of r V the sounding device and secured to the post by a clamp Bll'andscrews 8| or any other suitable means. This connection is such, that the direction of the movements of thelaminations are substantially parallel to the direction of the sound waves. It will be noted that the clamp and post are dished out or offset as at 82 and 83 respectively, so that only the outer edges of the laminations rest adjacent the post and clamp so as not to restrain the movement of the laminations.

Before assembling the projector to the collar 3!, the collar 10 is provided with a flange 84 at one end. A rubber bushing 85 having a flange 86 is placed within the aperture 25 of the post 22 and the collar 70 is passed through the rubber bushing 85 so that the flange 86 will be interposed between the flange 84 and against the surface of the post which provides acoustical insulation tending to absorb noise producing vibrations to which the projector might be subjected and thus prevent this amplification by the hollow post.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, certain modifications are In this form, the post 22a is provided with a transverse opening 25a. through which a collar 10a 5 together with the projector 26 is located within the opening 25a. The flange 84a of a collar 10a bears against the end surface of the reduced portion of the collar 3|.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 another modification of 10 mounting the sound signal is illustrated. In this form,-a bracket 90 is provided with an aperture 3| to support the sound signal in somewhat the same manner as disclosed by the other forms described. When the sound signal is mounted, as 15 shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the laminations Ila and one arm of the bracket 90 are held in spaced relation by a spacer 93. The spacer is secured to the bracket by screws 94 and the laminations 11a are held firmly against the spacer 93 by a pair 20 of clamps 95 having flat surfaces 96 to receive the flat ends 91 of the laminations Ila. The clamps 95 are secured to the bracket 90 by screw devices '98 whereby the laminations Ila are prevented from turning relative to the spacer. This sup- 5 porting bracket 90 may be attached to any suitable part 01' the motor vehicle. 7

It will be noted that the spring blades or laminations in each modification are substantially parallel with the support so that said laminations, 30 if vibrating at all, will tend to vibrate about the axis of the sound signal and not in counterdirection.

The resilient mounting means is of simple structure and design and one that will improve the out- 35 side mountings of a sound signal, and said means will substantially prevent the vibratory energy of the sound signal from being partly absorbed by the vehicle so as to maintain as near as pos- 7 sible the true sounds produced by the sound signal. 40

Whilethe form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a'preferred form, it isto be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow; 7 45 What is claimed is as follows:

1. A signal device comprising in combination; a casing; a sound producing diaphragm supported by the casing; an electromagnet for operating the diaphragm; a projector attached to the cas- 50 mg; a support having an aperture through which the projector extends; a plurality of leaf spring members provided with apertures intermediate their ends to receive a portion of the casing; means for securing the casing to the intermediate 58 portion of the. spring members; and means'for attaching the ends of the spring members upon the support so that the free portion of the spring members will cause the casing. and the projector to move along the axis of the aperturein the 66 support when the signal device is actuated.

2. A signal device comprising in combination; a casing; a sound producing diaphragm supported by the casing; an electromagnet for operating the diaphragm; a projector attached to the cas- '65 ing; a supporthaving an aperture through which the projector extends; resilient members having openings intermediate their ends to receive a portion of the casing; means for securing the casing to the intermediate portions of the resilient 70 members; and means for attaching the ends of the resilient members upon the support to move the projector and the casing substantially along the axis of the aperture in the support when the signal device is actuated.

3. A support for a signal device, comprising in combination; a housing; a plurality of superimposed leaf springs having openings to receive a portion of the housing; means for securing the springs to the housing; a projector adapted to be connected with the housing; a support having a transverse opening; means for securing the ends 01' the springs to the support in such a manner that the axis of the casing and the projector substantially coincides with the axis of the aperture in the support, and the resilient movements of the tree portions of the springs will oscillate the casing and the projector along the axis or the aperture when the signal device is actuated.

4. In a signaling device having a casing member provided with a tubular extension, the combination comprising; a plurality of superimposed springs provided with openings intermediate their ends to receive the tubular extension; means for connecting the intermediate portion of the springs to the tubular extension; a support provided with a transverse opening; a hollow member protruding through the opening and coupled with the tubular extension; and means to secure the ends of the springs to the support in such a manner that the resilient movements of the free portions of the spring will move the hollow member substantially along the axis of the transverse opening of the support when the signaling device is actuated.

5. In a signaling device having a casing member provided with a reduced tubular portion; the combination comprising; a resilient member provided with an opening intermediate its ends to receive the reduced tubular portion; a nut having screw threaded engagement with the reduced tubular portion for securing the intermediate portion of the spring to the casing; a hollow member adapted to be coupled with the reduced tubular portion; a pair of brackets; means for connecting the brackets and the ends of the spring to the support but on opposite sides of the opening of the support so that the axis of the hollow member substantially coincides with the axis 5 of the aperture.

6. A support for a sound signal having a sound producing member, comprising in combination; a casing for enclosing the sound producing member; a standard having an opening; a projector extending through the opening and connected with the casing; a resilient member; means for connecting the casing to the intermediate portion of the resilient member; and means for connecting the ends of the resilient member to the standard in such a manner that the resilient movement of the tree portions of the resilient member is directed substantially along the axis of the aperture in the standard, such supporting means substantially preventing the projector and casing from engaging the standard when the sound signal is actuated.

7. A support for a signal device having a sound producing member, comprising in combination; a casing; a support having a transverse opening; spacing means secured to the support; a spring having its intermediate portion secured to the casing; a projector adapted to extend through the opening and connected with the casing; a pair of brackets; and screw-threaded fastening means securing the brackets to the support to clamp the ends of the spring between the brackets and the spacing means in such a manner that the axis of the projector is substantially in alignment with the axis of the opening and that the resilient movement of the spring takes place substantially at right angles to the axis or the transverse opening.

ROBERT M. CRITCHFIELD. 

